How I've communicated my feelings for my T is when we connect and I feel protected (like the last session with my mom) I tell him what I just typed above.

I tell him when what we talk about impacts me positive or negative. I do love him in the sense that I feel these other feelings. For me, that is huge. I'm a feel it to believe it person.

I feel that he is showing me love (not romantic love), protection, understanding, caring etc.

He did say one session, that the fact that I can feel the way I do towards him, means that I can feel those feelings with someone else outside of the therapy room.

So maybe instead of focusing on whether or not we love out T's, because that can mean so many things to each one of us, we should identify what individual feelings we are developing...

Just a thought